Re: Feedback requested for Virtual Storage Console 2.0 Users - Page 6

robertim · ‎2010-08-03

We're looking for feedback from customers that have downloaded Virtual Storage Console and are using it. Any and all comments and feedback welcome.

keitha · ‎2011-03-29

So it looks like you have mount the datastore without the qtree which makes since since VSC has no awareness of qtrees.

Also I would STRONGLY recommend you mount the datstores via IP rather than hostname. If you use hostname a DNS outage can wreck havok in the VMware environment. Our best practice is IP.

Keith

jeffgarmin · ‎2011-03-29

Hi Keith,

Thanks for the reply. I've ran across an issue with this that I have another thread open and it hasn't gotten a reply yet, maybe you can weigh in on it since it hasn't been replied to yet.

http://communities.netapp.com/message/50975

Thanks,

Jeff

raimiansch · ‎2011-03-29

Hi!

Also last year, we have moved our hole VMware infrastructur to NFS and we use qtrees for the datastores. And we use currently at a minimum of 2 qtrees per volume. And in order to can spread the LAN io over both network cards, we use also 2 netmasks within our storage lan. So we mount the first datastore (qtree) over the first netmask and the second one over the other netmask (See NetApp and VMware bestpractice guide tr-3749). With VMware it works very fine. And we also use FQDN for mounting the datastores. But we have also added this FQDN in the hosts of each ESX host and on the filer. So on the one hand, it is better readable from where the datastore is coming and on the other hand it also works when there are some troubles with DNS.

With this configuration we use also the smvi part of the svc. Over the gui - vCenter plugin - we can make backups for single VMs and also for single datastores. But it is not possible to make one backup with more datastores. About the 2 netmasks, SMVI does not recognize that this datastores are on the same volume and so, it tries to make to separate snapshots and this failes.

I tried it with to datastores within one volume over 1 netmask and this is possible.

But interesting is, that the CLI can also make a backup with our configuration (2 netmask).

Currently we are waiting for a clear roadmap for what NetApp will do in the next version with qtree support. But until now it sounds, that they will not really full support several qtrees with more then one netmask.

Regards

Rainer

daniel_natale · ‎2011-05-03

We had an issue recently with the VSC. For some reason, authentication started to fail on one of our storage controllers. I tried to redeploy the controllers by selecting 'Update' in the overview section under Virtual Storage Console. The VSC hung on "Discovering NetApp Storage" for 24hrs. I can't restart the VC service on a whim with our enivornment, so I just decided to wait it out. After reading another thread, I saw you could update the task again which would mark the old tasks as stale and try to reauthenticate with the storage controllers.

I updated the task again and was able to add the filers back to the VSC. After adding the filers back into the VSC, my backup jobs failed with "Failed to rename snapshot". I deleted the snapshots it was trying to rename and this fixed the problem.

The logs weren't very readable in my opionion - and it was tough to try to get a starting point to troubleshoot. I did find that by looking in the Vsphere Server application logs, (Windows) there were some helpful error messages regarding authentication failures.

tom_maddox · ‎2011-05-05

It would be very nice if, when updating the Overview screen, the "Discovering Network Components..." screen gave an indication of how far along it was. It just says "Loading" and has done so for several minutes, so I have no idea if it's actually running or if it's hung up or waiting for something to time out.

forgette · ‎2011-05-09

Please stay tuned for announcements regarding the next release...

forgette · ‎2011-05-26

NetApp® Virtual Storage Console 2.1 for VMware® vSphere™ Now Available!

https://now.netapp.com/NOW/download/software/vsc_win/2.1/

TheDataCentreBrit · ‎2011-05-26

The documentation/kb article regarding the Role Based Access Control for VSC 2.x needs to be updated for 2.1. The following API's have moved from being required within the Create Clones role to the VSC/Monitoring & Host Configuration role:

api-fcp-service-status

api-iscsi-service-status

I am also having issues adding controllers using the Destroy Storage role within RCU with the error of insufficient privileges. No messages are posted to the filer console so I am unsure if/which API's are missing at this stage, however I will continue to investigate and provide feedback when I know more.

EDIT: I noticed in the release notes that it says the requirements have changed and to visit the kb article, it doesn't mention what was changed and the article hasn't been updated yet.

glen_eustace · ‎2011-05-26

For us unfortunate souls that don't have access to NOW ( IBM N-Series user ), can you put any of the info, new features, release notes doc etc somewhere where I can see them please. I appreciate that I'll need to wait, probably 3 - 6 mths before IBM have rebadged VSC2.1 but I would be keen to see what improvements there may be.

Can you confirm that 2.1 will work in our environment where the Datastores are on a private network ? This definitely does not work at 2.0 ( unless there is a work around we haven't been told about.)

forgette · ‎2011-05-27

I'm afraid I don't have the authority to repost something that is on the NOW site.

> Can you confirm that 2.1 will work in our environment where the Datastores are on a private network?

The answer is a qualified yes. The "Discovery & Host Monitoring" as well as the "Provisioning and Cloning" features will now handle this properly in 2.1.

The "Backup and Recovery" might as well, it depends on the configuration.

> This definitely does not work at 2.0 ( unless there is a work around we haven't been told about.)

You are correct.

glen_eustace · ‎2011-05-29

Thanks Eric. I will pursue this through the IBM channels.

glen_eustace · ‎2011-07-05

OK, 2.1 VSC for N-Series noew installed. An improvement but still no cigar VSC discovered both of the filers but showed them as 'Unknown'. I attempted to add them in by just doing a 'Add'. This cause one of the unknowns to be replaced with the correct data. I then tried adding in the 2nd and both the remaining Unknown and the one previously added dissappear and are replace by the new one. No amount of mucking around seems to allow me to add and then get to see permanently both filers. Surely this isn't how it is supposed to work so I must be doing something wrong

tom_maddox · ‎2011-07-06

Glen, I would not beat myself up if I were you. This software is clearly not ready for prime time. It is error-prone, unreliable, and cannot perform the tasks for which it seems to have been designed. Also, NetApp support personnel have apparently not received training on it, so you may be better off not using it until such time as it is production-ready.

keitha · ‎2011-07-06

Tom and Glen,

I'm sorry you are having these issues. One siggestion though is please start different threads for these types of issues, this thread has run it's course and I am going to ask to have it locked I think.

Tom,

You say the VSC can't discover the NetApp at all. Did it discover them ever before? Can the host that VSC is installed on contact the NFS network the ESX hosts are connected to the NetApp on or do you use FC? Any details about your network layout would really help.

Glen,

When you selected "ADD" how did you specify the NetApp controller? IP Hostname? Do you have VMware datastores on both of the controllers? I'm thinking it is getting confused by hostname resolution perhaps...

Do you have open cases for this problem? If so send me a direct message and I can look at the case notes...

Keith

keitha · ‎2011-07-06

I have asked for this thread to be locked. It's not that we don't want your feedback and suggestions. WE DO! but this thread has run off topic and we now have many different support issues mixed in with the feedback and suggestions. Ideally we should start new threads for a support type issue as that makes it easier for us NetApp folks but mor importantly easier for other customers who have the same issue to seach and find solutions. Feed back and suggestions are always welcome too, please just post it in a new thread. Thanks!

Keith

tom_maddox · ‎2011-06-14

After installing VSC 2.1, vSphere is unable to discover my NetApps at all. Should these issues go into this thread, or will a new one be started? When can we expect VSC to come out of beta?

netappbd9 · ‎2011-07-01

Did you ever resolve this Tom? I have just upgraded to 2.1 and the Update button does not work. Strangley the components show as updated but the VSC still shows as being on version 2.0.1. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling to no effect

glen_eustace · ‎2011-05-09

We are an N-Series shop and have been running SMVi for about 8 months now. I am wanting to migrate to SVC but my progress today has not been encouraging.

After installing SVC on a vCentre server, it seesm to get really confused about the networking. All of our datastores are on a private unrouted network, initially they were discovered and I was prompted for appropriate IP addresses and credientials. Entering the public network and user etc was accepted but on completion I just got into a loop with SVC rediscovering the private IPs and not using the public ones supplied. My next attempt was to add the NFS network as a VM network and attach a 2nd NIC to the vCentre server. This allowed the discovery to find the controllers but after having told me it had found 2 and finishing discovery, nothing appeared in the Overview and the Discover Status option tells me their are no controllers. Using Update doesn't change the situation.

So at the moment I am stuffed.

I saw a posting saying that e0M might be chosen as a management address so I have added a 'null' route to prevent access to it. The NFS vmkernel network is not the lowest numbered network on the controller, there are several other non-routable networks that are lower.

The svc.xml file has an empty <mgmtipaddress> for both datastores, not sure if this is normal.

forgette · ‎2011-05-09

Hi Glen, I'm sorry you're having issues with the 2.0 version. Please stay tuned for announcements regarding the next release though... It is coming soon (sorry, I'm not sure exactly when) and will support datastores on private unrouted networks.

glen_eustace · ‎2011-05-09

Its a pity we then need to add ~ 3 months before we see the N-Series incarnation out of IBM.

Is there any workaround to get this to work in the meantime ?

forgette · ‎2011-05-09

I'm sorry, I've only worked on the "next" release. I'm not sure if there is a workaround in 2.0. Have you opened a support case by any chance?